ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fall · date · land · rash · craft · key · bore · bay

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. land — a country
  3. bore — to drill
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. key — for a lock
  10. fall — to drop
  11. rash — a series
  12. fall — to drop
  13. land — ground
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. land — to come down
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. key — in music
  20. bore — to tire
  21. craft — boats
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rash — hasty
  24. fall — the season

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com